Nebraska AD Osborne Still Undecided on Callahan

Thursday, November 15th 2007, 2:59 pm

By: News On 6

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska interim athletic director Tom Osborne said Thursday that he has not made a final decision on coach Bill Callahan. He plans to schedule a meeting with Callahan and the rest of the coaching staff on November 24, the day after Nebraska plays at Colorado.

â€œWe want to make sure we've had adequate input from everybody,â€ he said. â€œWeâ€™ve got seven or eight days before the Colorado game. That's why it would be foolish to make a decision before all the data is in.â€

Callahan signed a new five-year contract in September, but that was before the firing of athletic director Steve Pederson and the arrival of Osborne. Callahan's job status has come into question as Nebraska has struggled after reaching the Big 12 championship game last year.

The Huskers, whose defense is one of the worst in the country, ended a five-game losing streak last week with a 73-31 victory over Kansas State. Nebraska (5-6) needs to beat Colorado to become eligible for a bowl.

Osborne said the day he replaced Pederson last month that he would wait until after the season to evaluate Callahan. â€œThere never was any confusion between me and the coaching staff on when the end of the season was,â€ Osborne said, adding that he never considered extending the decision-making process beyond a possible bowl game.

Speculation has swirled around the state in recent days about whether Osborne has decided on Callahan and whether Osborne has started the search for a new coach. Osborne said he has stayed true to his initial plan.

``I don't say one thing and do another,'' Osborne said.